RIVINGTONS, WATERLOO PLACE.

LONGMANS & CO.; SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, & CO.; HAMILTON & CO.;
HOULSTON & CO.; SMITH, ELDER, & CO.; E. BUMPUS;

H. SOTHERAN & CO.; BICKERS & SON; J. TOOVEY;
J. WHELDON; R. WASHBOURNE.

12

AT 1881

LONDON: PRINTED BY SPOTTISWOODE AND CO., NEW-STREET SQUARE

AND PARLIAMENT STREET

22538

CONTENTS.

PART I.

ENGLISH HISTORY.

CHAPTER I.

The New Year-Letters and Speeches on the State of Ireland-The opening of

Parliament-The Debate on the Address-Protracted Discussion in the House

of Commons

page [1

CHAPTER II.

THE COERCION BILLS-Protection of Property Bill-Obstruction in the House of

Commons and its Treatment-The New Rules of Debate-The Speaker's

Dictatorship-Urgency-The Revolt of the Home Rulers-Preservation of

Life Bill

[26

CHAPTER III.

THE IRISH LAND BILL-The Reports of the Richmond and Bessborough Com-

missions-Forecasts of the Land Bill-Mr. Gladstone's Proposals--Debates on

the First Reading-Public Opinion Resignation of the Duke of Argyll-

Speeches and Letters of the Easter Recess-Debate on the Second Reading-

The Land Bill in Committee --The Land Bill in the Lords-Second Reading

-Opposition of the Majority-Amendments in Committee-The Struggle

between the Lords and Commons-The Mutual Concessions-Final Passing of

the Land Act--Royal Assent

[78

CHAPTER IV.

Death of the Earl of Beaconsfield-The Conservative Leadership-The Bribery

Bill and the Bribery Commission: Canterbury, Knaresborough, Boston,

Sandwich, Macclesfield, and Oxford-The Bye-Elections of the Session--The

Bankruptcy Bill-Army Reform-The Estimates-Mr. Gladstone's Eleventh

Budget-Mr. Bradlaugh in the House of Commons: in the Court of Queen's

Bench-The Universities Bill-The Queen's Speech

CHAPTER V.

[123

EXTERNAL POLITICS-§ 1. Colonial Affairs-The Transvaal Policy-Sir Wilfrid

Lawson's and Mr. Ryland's Resolutions-The Peers on Colonial Policy-The

South African Debates in Lords and Commons-North Borneo Company [149

§ 2. Afghanistan-The Candahar Debate-Indian Affairs .

.. [158

§ 3. Foreign Affairs-The Berlin Treaty and the Greek Demands-Settlement of

the Frontier Question

[174